Construction businesses urged to do more to improve safety

Date:
Friday, June 16, 2017
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Author: Daniel Puddicombe

Businesses working in the construction industry could risk flouting health and safety rules, new research has suggested.

According to data from Enterprise Flex-E-Rent, 28% of companies admitted they don’t invest in driver training and 17% don’t carry out risk assessments.

Among the businesses that do carry out driver risk assessments, 37% said they carry out checks once a year, while just under half (44%) admitted to only carrying out training after an incident has been reported.

Despite what may appear to be a lax attitude to safety, half of the 50 businesses surveyed – which ranged from SMEs to multinationals - said that driver compliance is the biggest transport issue they have to manage.

But change could be around the corner, as 83% said they plan to invest in vehicle safety technology this year, with the most popular systems being installed including reverse warning alarms (59%), dashcams (46%) and telematics (39%).

“This research suggests that while the construction sector is aware of the importance of driver safety and many are using a range of measures to promote health and safety, a number of companies could be doing more when it comes to the safety of their drivers and vehicles,” said Danny Glynn, managing director of Enterprise Flex-E-Rent. “On-site health and safety is always taken very seriously, but the duty of care applies equally to employees driving to and from those sites.”

He added: “Driving for business is associated with around 30% of all deaths on UK roads and may be the most dangerous activity an employer ever asks staff to undertake on its behalf. This places a lot of responsibility onto businesses, especially as the effects of vehicle-related accidents are felt far beyond the road.”